Plastic banknotes: the new security features explored

The Telegraph's Richard Gray meets Victoria Cleland of the Bank of England to
discuss the features of the new polymer banknotes

Victoria Cleland, the head of the Bank of England's notes division explains that following a three-year research programme and a public consultation during Autumn 2013, the Bank of England has decided that its next £5 and £10 banknotes will be printed on polymer from 2016.

The bank’s research showed that polymer banknotes are cleaner, more secure, and more durable than their paper counterparts. They will also provide enhanced counterfeit resilience, and are more environmentally-friendly than paper. Because they last longer, polymer banknotes are cheaper over time than paper.

Resistant to dirt and moisture, polymer banknotes are made from a transparent plastic film, coated in an ink layer that carries the printed design features. The material allows for 'windows' or transparent areas in the design which discourage counterfeiting because they require several machines to make.

The Bank of England aims to introduce the next £5 note featuring Sir Winston Churchill in 2016 and £10 note featuring Jane Austen a year later.